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Friday, February 26, 2010

Learning to Can and Freeze

One of the things I resolved to do this year was learn to use canning and freezing and other food preservation methods. The lack of knowledge I have about these things is frustrating!

Cooking shows and cookbooks these days don't even mention these things. No one does them anymore. It's really annoying. I wish there was some one around her that could teach me these things. L talks a lot about canning and such when she was younger but with her memory loss she's not exactly a reliable source of information.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

By the Hairs of My Chiny-chin-chin

Yesterday while looking closely at a blackhead (!) in the bathroom mirror, I noticed some hairs around my upper lip.

Today I noticed fine hairs on my chin and along my cheek bones. And one, promptly picked, dark one on my chin!

I've never been terribly vain. I don't even wear makeup the majority of the time and i like my gray hairs. I've always said that we should look older when we're older. Youth isn't meant to last forever and wrinkles should be a badge of honor. Maiden, mother, crone.

But I'm not ready to move on to crone just yet.

I'm certainly not ready to shave side by side with Boo.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

The Beauty Shop

Sitting in the beauty Shop with L (we go every Thursday) listening to the gossip. And boy do those ladies gossip. It's the same set of older ladies every week. There are a few elderly ladies who need helpers like L. Today a lady I've not seen before (found out later that her usual day is Friday) came in with her daughter. We'll call the mother Martha and the daughter Maggie.

L was under the dryer at the time.

The stylist asked Marta how her Dr. appt. that morning went. She said "I didn't go tot he Dr." Maggie said "yes you did!" which led to a big argument between the two. When it was over, the stylist looking very sorry she'd asked, they headed back to the sinks to wash Martha's hair. L turned to me and sighed and said "Those days are coming for all of us"

What?!

They're already here lady. We just this morning had the same argument for the fourth day in a row about where her blue jeans are, who took/stole/borrowed and didn't return them. . . Made worse by the fact that there were never any blue jeans to begin with!

My New Pastime

My new favorite pastime is very enjoyable.

If you want to try it, you'll need the following:

one elven year old
one cat who is vocal
one bedroom door
one couch

Bam goes into her room to read (her favorite pastime) closing the door the behind her. Frisky waits just long enough for Bam to get comfortable with her book and then she goes to the bedroom door and meows. Next, an exasperated sigh is heard through the door. Bam stomps over, opens it, Frisky shoots though.

Sam closes the door and settles down again. In a few minutes you hear the sigh again, some stomping and then the door jerks open and she shoos the cat out.

It's hilarious!

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Waking up in the Morning

The cats know what my alarm clock means. Lately they've slept (or at least lain quietly) until it goes off. Even this morning when I woke up before it rang and went where everyone goes when they first wake up, they stayed still.

Once it rings, though they're right there butting me with their heads, helping me get dressed by grabbing the ends of my socks, sitting on the pants i want to wear, and pawing at the bedroom door.




As soon as I open our door Bella is off like a rocket to Sam's door. The cats are slightly irritated that she has started sleeping on the top bunk and they can't reach her.





Maybe I'll build them a ladder.

Monday, February 22, 2010

86 or 4?

I've always heard older age referred to as a second childhood. I never knew how true that was until L.

There are cookies crumbs all over the counter ans I ask "Hmm, I wonder who has been in the cookie jar?" What do I hear? "Not me!" It doesn't matter to me if she ate a cookie, but she seems to think she'll get in trouble for having done so.

"Who spread the sales papers all over the couch?" "I didn't do it!"

"Why are you sitting at the kitchen table with your teeth out picking little bits of food out?" "I don't know."

Just like a 4 year old.

Well, almost.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Argh memory loss

They always say that it's wonderful to experience things again through someone else's eyes.

That first time you take your daughter to the movies. You're standing there annoyed by the line at the snack counter. Then you look down at the wonder on her face as she takes in the smells the sights, the sounds and yes even the interested pattern on the carpet. To her everything is exciting and enjoyable.

There is a flip side though. Spending time with someone with memory loss means every time they see something, it's the first time they've seen it. This can be cute when they rediscover the stray cat on the back porch or the neighbor's flowers. But when every commercial is the first time it came be tiring.

Sure, that baby is cute the first 12 times you see it, but then it's just "that baby" again. To L every time is the first time and she expects me to match her enthusiasm. Why aren't I saying "AWWW" along with her? Because I've seen that same child make that same peanut butter sandwich and then wave as he gets on the bus approximately four thousand, two hundred, fifty million times!

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Waking up in the Morning

The cats know what my alarm clock means. lately they've slept (or at least lain quietly) until it goes off. Even this morning when I woke up before it rang and went where everyone goes when they first wake up, they stayed still.

Once it rings, though they're right there butting me with their heads, helping me get dressed by grabbing the ends of my socks, sitting on the pants i want to wear, and pawing at the bedroom door.

As soon as I open our door Bella is off like a rocket to Bam's door. The cats are slightly irritated that she has started sleeping on the top bunk and they can't reach her.

Maybe I'll build them a ladder.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Kids and Cats

When Bam was very small I could never go to the bathroom alone. She would always follow me. Now when i shut the bathroom door, it's a little white paw that comes under.

Lucky for me Frisky isn't tall enough to reach the doorknob.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Shifts in Perspective (and a small vent)

A lot has happened in my life over the last year. Some good some Bad. Some starting out as one and ending as the other. Even though it's cliche I have found myself stronger on the other side.

Another thing that has changed is my perspective. When John's sight started to go things had to change. I never noticed how many step ups from parking lot to curb there were until i was pointing each one out.

I never noticed how many signs there were, how many little bits of information need to be read until I was helping him read them.

Now that he's had surgeries and the vision has improved in his left eye it's nice that he doesn't need as much help. I know he feels better being more self sufficient but I have to admit to missing laying in bed at night reading aloud for both of us to enjoy.

There is a commercial running right now for Aleve. in it a woman in a drug store decides to buy Aleve instead of several boxes of Tylenol. When she makes this decision she drops her shopping basket in the middle of the aisle and walks away. That irritates me, perhaps irrationally. After all it's just a commercial, but I can't help thinking of the visually challenged person coming down that aisle and falling because some careless sighted person left her crap there.